Nashville's rookie roster against Tampa last night in the second of three-weekend games, prevailing in overtime against Tampa
By Anthony Pellegrino @apelle50 IceInsider.com Founder/Owner
BOSTON--At Ford Ice Center in Bellevue, a rink typically home to Nashville youth hockey teams, saw over 6,000 fans walk through the doors this weekend. Fans eager to see the future of Nashville, play out in a pair of rookie showcase affairs.
Day two of the Nashville Predators rookie showcase showed urgency by the young group full of physicality, grittiness, and a no-quit mentality.
Reasonably speaking-although just a showcase, it's the first time for a bulk of the rookies, other than the draft, to sport a gold jersey in Music City. For some, it's a fight for a career in the National Hockey League.
Nashville's offense was prevalent from early on, and Gibson's line showed quick passing too crisp for Tampa's defense to take a chance on. The teams' consistent offensive pressure was shown, testing Harrison Meneghin Tampa's prospect goaltender early on.
Joey Willis, an Elmhurst IL native, drafted by Nashville in the 4th round 111th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, found the back of the net on a sneaky, go-to-the-net play, driving to the net putting the puck through Meneghin.
Willis, 20, stood out as one of the top prospects throughout the weekend event. Posting 50 points in 66 games with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL, he'll wrap up his Junior time with the club next season.
"I saw that he was looking for me through the seam. I just went up to an area, and basically put my whole body in front of it hoping it went in. Happy it found the back of the net. Gibby had a great shot there at the end. Obviously great to get the win, no one likes to loose."
Defensive Struggles:
Nashville's penalty kill failed to catch onto Tampa Bay's take-it-to-the-net mentality, how the pair of the Lightening's goals went in. The Predator's defense tended to step up and become too offensively minded throughout the game.
For most of the weekend, the defense kept the back door vacant, however, Tampa indeed took the chances they got to the fullest, converting them onto the scoreboard.
Individual Chances:
Predator's Head Coach Karl Taylor noted that yesterday's lineup looked slightly different than the day before. Miguel Marques, Easton Armstrong, Chad Nychuk, Dylan MacKinnon, and Ethan Haider went in, as Jeremy Hanzel, Jack Matier, Ozzy Wiesblatt, Kevin Wall, and Magnus Chrona went out.
Urgency in the Spotlight:
Hiroki Gojsic was the main testament to the team's late urgency play. Often marked on scouts' draft lists due to his"NHL caliber shot, and barrelling down the wing and launching wristers (EP 2024 Draft Guide), that shot, came to give Nashville a chance at victory, on a breakaway all alone with Tampa's goaltender: advancing the game to overtime.
Nashville gave up a significant amount, to take a chance at Andrew Gibson, the 19-year-old defenseman out of Ontario Canada, In fact, Trotz gave up Jesse Kiiskinen, originally drafted by the Predators in the third round, 68th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, and a 2nd round pick in the 2024 draft, for Gibson. He capitalized on a relatively open net in overtime, to send the Lightening rookies back to Tampa.
He made it known to the media following the win, that he's taking pride on the chance Nashville took on him.
"Definitely feels good to get the overtime goal, and just to be out there. That the coaches have the confidence in me to put me out there..."I feel super honored," on Nashville's chance at him. "It drives me to play for them. Play for myself as well. To show that what they gave up for me was worth it."
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GAME:
Nashville's training camp is set to open Thursday, September 18th while on-ice practices will open the 19th at Ford Ice Center in Bellevue.
For full coverage of training camp, visit IceInsider.com throughout the camp.
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